Bernard Naudin

Bernard Étienne Hubert Naudin (11 November 1876, Châteauroux – 7 March 1946, Paris) was a French painter, designer, caricaturist, and engraver.

Early life

Naudin was born into a family of watchmakers and antique dealers. His father, who died in 1890, was also a painter and designer, and served as his first teacher. In 1891, he created his first illustration (a 17th century bagpiper) for Jean Baffier, the publisher of a literary revue called Le Réveil de la Gaule. The following year, he published his first collection, composed of scenes from the province of Berry.

In 1893, he moved to Paris and gave guitar lessons to pay for his studies at the Académie Colarossi, where he would later become a teacher. In 1897, he was able to obtain a scholarship from the city of Châteauroux, that enabled him to study at the École des beaux-arts de Paris with Léon Bonnat.

In 1924, he was commissioned to design the Olympic diploma for the Summer Olympics in Paris. The following year, he provided all of the illustrations for a catalog celebrating the 150th anniversary of the perfumery, Houbigant, retracing the history of the establishment created by Jean-François Houbigant in 1775.

He also designed posters and labels. Diderot, Edgar Allan Poe, André Suarès, Georges Duhamel and Anatole France are among the many authors whose works he illustrated. A memorial plaque has been placed on his home in the 14e arrondissement.

His students included Jean de Botton, , and .